Investigators in the case say the child died of blunt force trauma to the head while under Rutledge’s care at a Jewel Lane mobile home in Whitwell in 2015.

During the trial the child’s grandfather, Mike Dillon, took the stand to speak blaming Rutledge as the reason Lucas never made it to high school or even elementary school because she murdered him.

Also taking the stand against the advice of her attorney, Holly Rutledge made a statement at the trial and maintains that she did not hurt the child and that she also knows how bad it hurts to lose Lucas, because she lost him, too.

“Everyday the thought that I lost him, and the fact that everyday I go out – everybody looks at me like I’m the worst person ever,” said Rutledge, “Like you have to be a really, really sorry person with no heart to hurt a child in any way.”

A State Trooper also took the stand and testified that he had a couple of run-ins with Rutledge after Lucas Dillon’s death, one of which was a traffic stop where child passengers in her car were not properly restrained.

In addition to those testimonies and statements, the judge discussed accusations that were made against Rutledge for using marijuana during the trial back in June, of which she also denied.

“I didn’t smoke it while I was in trial but when I got home, yes sir! My nerves are terrible I’ve tried medications. I don’t like the way they make me feel.”

The judge sentenced 30-year-old Holly Rutledge to 10-years in prison at the trial.